Thursday, March 7, 2013

Use These Tips To Improve Your Traveling Skills

By Kasey Better


Whether you are preparing to leave town by car, plane, or train, the information found in this handpicked selection of travel tips is sure to help you before you embark on your journey. Look no further for the best and brightest advice on everything from packing your bags to booking your hotel room.

When packing for a vacation or business trip, pack a number of both lighter and heavier weight clothing. This is because you do not want to be freezing or overheated in your destination if the weather forecast happens to change. It is also a good idea to pack clothing and accessories that will not weigh down your luggage.

Before you leave your hotel for a day of exploration, jot down some directions and notes on a stack of index cards which you can consult discreetly for directions. Carry a map, but if you need to look at it, don't just stand in the middle of the street gawking. Go into a caf or restaurant where you can order something to eat or drink and sit inconspicuously at a table to study your map. These steps will help keep you safe in a strange land.

Whenever you travel it is of utmost importance that you use luggage tags. Luggage tags are easy to find in most stores and are very cheap. The reason you need to use them is so that you will be able to locate your luggage quickly and won't accidentally have a mix up with someone else's bags that are the same as yours!

Double check your reservations. It may seem obvious, but there have been many cases where reservations suddenly disappeared from the databases, leaving you and your family with no place to stay. To prevent this from occurring, check with your hotel several times throughout the process to make sure that your reservation is still right where it should be.

If you're flying to your destination, be careful when you recline the seat. It's always advisable to check with the person behind you before you recline you seat. If you don't, you're liable to break a laptop screen, spill someones drink, or just bang their legs into your seat. Better safe than sorry!

When you are traveling you should make yourself aware of the local laws and customs. For example, if traveling to a Muslim country you will not be able to drink, or partake in pornography, which the punishments for such are quite severe. Ignorance is no excuse in the name of the law.

When booking a hotel stay, be sure to ask when the hotel was last built or renovated. A low-cost motel that's brand new might be a better option than an older building attached to a good name. Stay away from lower-end and mid-range hotels that haven't been renovated in more than five or six years.

When going on a trip if you choose to take valuables along, it might be wise to choose a hotel that offers you an in room safe. This ensures that while you are out having fun something important to you doesn't get lost.

Before you travel it is a good idea to join some online travel forums like TripAdvisor, Fodors, Frommers and LonelyPlanet. These forums are great places to pick up tips and advice from people who have already visited your chosen travel destination. You can also use these forums to find a travelling partner.

Did you know that you can use snow to do a quick cleanup on your vehicle while you are traveling? A car wash would work better but snow works quite well in a pinch. It will remove the mud that got all over your rental vehicle when you ventured onto that back road. It also works well to get grime buildup off of your windshield in an emergency.

Tip your concierge! Whether it be on a cruise or at a hotel, your concierge will be your go-to guy for reservations, directions and almost everything else! Many concierges have admitted that if someone is willing to tip them well, they will go out of their way to make sure those great tippers, have a fantastic time.

For safety, when you are packing to go on a trip you should always include a first aid kit. You should also put a pair of tweezers in your suitcase in case of any splinters that get picked up along the way. You always want to be prepared for any emergency.

Bring a gift for the flight attendants to gain special treatment. Flight attendants are generally treated very poorly, and if you bring them a treat, like a store-bought pie or something similar, they will recognize your generosity and treat you accordingly. Remember to thank them for doing their jobs. They are working for your safety, not as your maid.

Save on money and calories during all of your travels by packing snacks, meals and beverages ahead of time. You can make healthier choices when you plan ahead of time, and you will be less likely to overspend on a sugar or fat filled snacks that are grossly overpriced.

If you are going to take your cellular phone from home to travel abroad make sure you find out if your carrier's network will work in that country. Most large carriers in the US will. You can find out the rates and fees and find out more about what it will cost when you call.

If you are planning to travel to a country in a very different time zone to yours, make sure you factor jet lag into your plans. Having a low key, relaxing first day planned will get your trip off to a good start, and avoid you having to explore when all you want to do is sleep.

So as you pack all your bags and start to plan your itinerary, remember the information found in the tips you have just read. This great advice will help you at every step of your vacation or business trip, from the very moment you set foot at your destination to the return trip home.




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